Legs
by Starsinger
Summary: Family reunion, lots of small children.


Legs

by Starsinger

This was inspired by my family reunion a couple of weeks ago. My Uncle Billy brought his grand-daughter (dad's half-brother's step-daughter's little girl) who they were adopting due to issues with her mother. We ended up at my brother's house after dinner talking, and, as usual, the party ended up in the kitchen (when do they not?). Anyway, this little girl is named Angelina, who's only a little over a year old, and she's an absolute sweetheart. At the end of the night she was running from one set of legs to another getting all the attention she wanted. BTW, my oldest niece was walking at ten months, so I know it can happen. Also, one of the babies in this story has my name, virtual cookies to anyone who figure it out. No, still don't own them.

It had been a little over a year since the twins and Andrew were born. Kitty sighed as a reunion of sorts seemed to be gathering at Xavier's. More children had been conceived and born since that fateful day. Eight children in all crawled, walked and slept in the foyer. They ranged in age from Brian and Meggan's eighteen month old Andrew to two month old Jean, who slept quietly in her mother's arms, Ororo. Rogue had even admitted she was expecting herself. She wouldn't tell who the daddy was. That was a miracle in and of itself.

Kitty had managed a minor miracle herself. She had badgered both Scott and Joseph into setting scholarships for anyone interested in attending Xavier's, human or mutant. People had been a bit wary of sending their children to the school until the State Education Agency came in and announced that students graduating from Xavier's were better prepared for college than in many public and private schools. Then several prominent families sent their very human children to the school. The result was that there was a waiting list for humans wanting to attend the school.

The result was a large and diverse student population where tolerance was not only expected, it was practiced. Emma must be rolling over in her grave, Kitty thought. She absently reached down and picked up Rachael and Kurt's daughter who had bumped into her leg. She could barely see Ilyana and Moira as they careened through the mansion after Andrew and the Richards' kids. They had both been walking at ten months leaving Brian and Meggan jealous as Andrew had just started taking his first unsteady steps.

The baby, Kristina, looked remarkably like her grandmother. Scott remarked that it was uncanny, and that he couldn't believe he was a grandfather. Then he'd muttered something about Kurt robbing the cradle and a shotgun wedding. Soon, Rachael wandered over to collect her daughter, claiming she needed to be fed.

"So, when are you and Peter going to add to your family," Kurt's voice sounded at her elbow.

Kitty laughed, "Not anytime soon, Kurt. I'm going back to school."

"Politics?" Kurt asked.

"Psychiatry, actually. Scott assured that they'll manage around my schedule," she nodded to Sebastian Shaw who had just arrived several of the Hellfire Club in tow.

"Shouldn't you be wearing white?" Kurt teased.

"Uh, no, the time of the month dictates otherwise," Kitty muttered, the opal ring on her left hand gleaming in the lamplight as she absently scratched her forehead.

Kitty winced as a familiar voice wailed over the noise in the room, "Moooommmmmmyyyyyy!!!!!!" She quickly excused herself as she hurried over toward Moira who had fallen down and simply had had enough. Kitty picked her whimpering daughter up and cradled her as she felt two sets of arms wind their way around her legs. Startled, she glanced down to find Ilyana and Paul, Roberto and Dani's young son, clinging to her legs.

Dani soon rescued her by moving through and scooping the boy up, Kitty glanced up and announced that the twins needed a nap. She instantly received twenty offers to help put them down as Peter picked up his blonde daughter and carried her upstairs. She left them in the care of Hisako and Lockheed and returned downstairs. On her way she encountered Ororo quietly feeding her young daughter. She sat down beside her, "That's the most wonderful feeling in the world. The quiet time with the baby."

Ororo looked up, startled, "How do you manage two of them?"

"Lots of love, and lots of help, it takes both of us to manage them. I'm seriously considering waiting till they're five before having another one."

"You have plenty of willing babysitters," Storm replied with a grin. "Besides, you and Peter are still newlyweds."

"Yeah, now that Peter has the family he thought he'd lost…" Kitty sighed. "I wish Ilyana was here."

Ororo smiled, she knew who they were talking about, "She is Kitten, she is."


End file.
